What are those symbols shown in menus on Mac?

Many app menus on your Mac show key combinations, such as , next to certain menu options. The symbols in the key combinations represent special keyboard keys, called modifier keys.

You can press the key combinations shown in menus to perform actions without opening the menus.

Modifier key

Symbol

Command

Shift

Option

Control

Return

Delete

Forward Delete

Up Arrow

Down Arrow

Left Arrow

Right Arrow

Page Up

Page Down

Top (Home)

End

Tab Right

Tab Left

Escape (Esc)

If you turn on Sticky Keys in Accessibility preferences, you see the Command, Shift, Option, and Control key symbols on your screen when you press those keys. To open Accessibility preferences on your Mac, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Accessibility.